According to a recent report by The Sun, Premier League side Crystal Palace are said to be lining up a move to bring Chelsea’s French World Cup winner Olivier Giroud to Selhurst Park this winter. It has been suggested that the striker is highly unsettled and extremely unsatisfied with the role that he’s been provided by Frank Lampard this season. Despite being their most experienced striker, the Frenchman has only made three appearances in the league this season with all of them coming off the bench.
What Has Olivier Giroud Achieved Over The Years?
The French international striker was introduced to the Premier League when he was first signed by the Blues’ City rivals Arsenal back in 2012. He had his most spectacular scoring season in Ligue 1 for Montpellier back in 2011/12, when he singlehandedly guided them to the Ligue 1 title. That campaign, is arguably, what triggered such heavy interest from the Arsenal camp. Although he didn’t have an immediate impact in England, his skill-set was quite apparent, and it was clear that he could help the Gunners in their hunt for Premier League glory.
Over the course of his 253 game Arsenal career, the French World Cup winner popped up with 105 goals and a further 41 assists. The maximum goals he’s ever scored in a single Premier League season was 16 – a feat he achieved both in the 13/14 and 15/16 league campaigns.
After this though, his overall game time started depreciating, which is what eventually led to him joining rivals Chelsea. Since moving to the more affluent side of London, Giroud played in 68 matches for the Blues and has only managed 19 goals. Despite that, he would still be satisfied with his stint at Stamford Bridge thanks to their Europa League and FA Cup triumphs.
What Does Olivier Giroud Bring To The Table?
The Frenchman has never had a problem scoring goals, as he utilises his height and physicality supremely well out on the pitch. Despite being more than 1.9m tall, the Frenchman is quite flexible and is more than capable of the odd acrobatic attempt at goal.
Although he has slowed down with age, the 33-year-old still has a mean finish on him and can excel in any side looking to fill a striker’s void. His presence in the opposition box is the ultimate nightmare for any defender, as he is certain to take all the heading opportunities that come his way.
Why Crystal Palace should Move For Olivier Giroud in January
Even though the Eagles currently find themselves in a very comfortable 6th place, there’s no getting around the fact that their woes in front of goal are set to continue. They have only managed a total of 8 goals from their nine games so far this season – a statistic that will have to change if Roy Hodgson has any hopes of maintaining a top-half finish.
Olivier Giroud still has the killer touch of a Premier League striker, and with the right kind of atmosphere, there’s no reason why he couldn’t start firing on all cylinders again. This move could reignite the final few years of his top-flight career, while also doing Roy Hodgson’s promising Crystal Palace side massive favour.
